Improvement in wheelbarrows



1 177 0 8 6 179x/ Hmmm JUL 18 1871 @ummm 5@ fmem PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY LAWRENCE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEELVBARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,086, (lated July18, 1871.

To all whom it'may concern: y

Be it knownthat I, HARRY LAWRENCE, of New York city, in the county andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inWheelbarrows 5 and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wheelbarrows; and it consistsin a mode of uniting the bottom boards with the frame, calculated toeconomize in material and labor, and in an arrangement of braces forsupporting the folding end board and legs, by which they may be lockedin the folded condition, which braces are also applicable to the hingedends of wagonboxes, to sustain them when swung downward to open the box,and to lock them when closed up.

Figure l is a side view of my improved wheelbarrow partly sectioned.Fig. 2 is a plan of the bottom. Fig. 3' is a transverse section of theframe; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are side views of part of a wagon-box,showing the application of my improved brace thereto.

The side pieces A of the frame are commonly connected together by two ormore cross-pieces framed into them, and the bottom boards are placed onthem lengthwise with the said pieces. Now, in making Wheelbarrows withfolding sides, ends, and legs, such as described in an application forapatent tiled by me and now pending, and such as here shown,`I proposeto make use of transverse rods B for pivoting the said ends and legsupon, and vin order to utilize these rods for the purpose of the saidcross-pieces also so that I may dispense with the cross-pieces I proposeto arrange the bottom boards C crosswise and frame the ends into groovesin the side pieces, as shown at D, and clamp them in between the sidepieces by a head, E, on one end of the bolts, and nutf screwed on theother end. The braces which I use to support the end boards G and legsH, which are made to fold down upon'the ame to economize space forloading and storage, consist of slotted bars I, with a right-angledprojection, K, on one end for the pivot L, by which to pivot them to theframe, and another projection, M, on the other end, in which is aright-c ngled extension of the slot N for receiving the pin O on thelegs or the end board for holding them in the positions shown in Fig. 1.In cases where the braces are pivoted at the end which is highest thisextension M will be 011 the same side that the extension K is; but whenthe brace is pivoted at the lowest end the extension is on the oppositeside of the brace, so that the gravity of the braces will cause it tolock selfactingly, and in this example, wherein the brace for the endboard G is also provided with a hooked end, P, for connecting with aclip, Q, on the side board of the box, for holding it up also, the saidextension is formed on both sides, the part on the lower side being toprovide a notch to make room for thepin O in raising the hook highlenough to engage and disengage with the clip. The holes for the pivotsL are made as far from the centers ofthe slots as the distance betweenthe centers ofthe pins O and L when the end board or legs are foldedagainst the frame, and the said pins O and L are designed to be placedequidistant from the rods B on which the boards or legs oscillate, sothat when folded against the frame the braces will be parallel with theframe and the end board or legs. The braces, so arranged and pivoted atthe lower end, as in the case of the brace for the end board, will lockthe board in the folded position, so that it cannot be raised againexcept the free ends of the braces be lifted rst, for any lifting forceapplied to the board will be expended in a direct vertical line betweenthe pins O and L; but when arranged as the one connected to the legs isthe gravity of the free end will hold it so low that a downward forceapplied to the legs would force them and the legs down. It is thereforenecessary to support the free ends of the braces, when arranged in thisway, parallel with the frame, by a pin temporarily applied or a hook.This form of brace, without the slotted lateral extension at 011e end,is admirably adapted for holding the hinged tailboard of a wagon orcartup against the sides, as

indicated in Fig. 4, the part K being pivoted to the end b of the sideboard and the slot receiving the pin d in the end ofthe tail-board, sothat it will hang parallel with the said tail-board when the latter isclosed up. To insure the brace from being thrown backward so th atabackward pressure on the end board would raise the braces and therebylet the tail-board fall open, a hook or pin may be applied at e in anyWay to engage and hold the braces when in this position. The said endboards Will be held in the horizontal positien, as indicated in Fig. 6,When they are turned down to the ends of the slots N, or they may bearrested when part Way down by notches j' in the lower part of thebrace, which notches will be purposely placed in the said lower parts toadmit of the end boards turning Wholly down Without holding the bracesup, as would have to be the case if in the upper parts. To arrest thesaid boards by the notches j the braces will be held up against the pinsby hand. Provision may be made for entirely disengaging the braces fromthe tail-boards when it may be required to let them swing downvertically, as indicated by the dotted lines g, by so shaping the headsof the pins d that When the boards are at the lower ends of the bracesor nearly so they will allow the braces to be slipped off' readily.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. The combination of the side pieces A, bottom boardsC, and rods B, all substantially. as specified.

2. The improved brace for supporting the hin ged end of a Wheelbarrow orWagon-box, or the hinged l Witnesses:

Gno. W. MABEE, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

